SARS-COV-2 infection in health care workers: epidemiological risk analysis in a high complexity institution in Bogotá, Colombia

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses an unprecedented challenge in which health care workers are on the front lines. According to the WHO in China, as of February 2020, 22 (1.1%) health care workers (HCWs) had been infected with SARS-CoV-2, with 90% of the deaths occurring in Hubei Province.

Objective: To determine the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its association with sociodemographic, clinical, and occupational characteristics in health workers assigned to the area of care of patients with suspected and diagnosed COVID-19, in a high complexity institution in Bogotá, Colombia in the year 2020.

Methodology: Analytical cohort study. The population of active health workers assigned to the "Sapphire" area of care for patients with suspected or diagnosed COVID-19 defined as high risk in the institution, between April and October 2020, will be analyzed. The cohort is conformed by STs in whom RT-PCR tests were carried out in T0 (beginning of follow up April 2020), RT-PCR tests in Tx times according to the report of symptoms by the worker or by epidemiological fences, defined at institutional level and the follow up is finished at month six (Tf) with IgG/IgM tests and RT-PCR test (developed in the framework of the investigation). Basal information will be collected in a first interview (Eo) with all the STs. Information collection of confirmed infected ST cases will be ambiguous: for cases identified during April-July, a single virtual interview (Eu) will be carried out; for reports identified after protocol approval, follow-up will be carried out through virtual interviews to E1 (1st week after case confirmation), E2 (14 days) and E3 (28 days). The statistical analysis is structured in two phases. Initial phase: estimation of the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in health workers, description of sociodemographic, clinical and occupational variables and results of serological tests [IgG/IgM] and RT-PRC. Analytical Phase II: Based on the data, a model for the identification of factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and its outcomes in health care workers will be structured. The inclusion in the study will be done once the health worker voluntarily accepts his/her participation by signing an informed consent form for both surveys and sample collection.

Expected results: To describe the SARS-CoV-2 infection in health professionals who perform activities in areas of high exposure to COVID19 and to propose a model for the identification of risk factors in real time and suggest adjustments in practices at the level of intervention in occupational health.

SARS-CoV-2, health-care workers, COVID 19

Scientific production - Knowledge transfer